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New Delhi: BMW has announced their new design element with the new BMW iX3, announcing major technological advancements, they say, with the Neue Klasse. The question is obviously which was the peak of their design style, and most would disagree on it.
I find the 1980s and 1990s have something about them. In my mind, the 80s looked rough to an extent, while the 90s brought forth sophistication, the typical executive class segment, and it was competing well. As BMW drew into the millennium, though the styling remained good, some would pop out looking wonky. The elements shifted, and there was the chintzy look that needed to die. Some had the front grills that were like a last-minute addition, and the roofline that someone lost interest in.
Then in the 2010s, they kept designing their front grills bigger and with each design, the jokes were wafted across the industry. Now, Oliver Heilmer was given the task of shaping BMW’s compact and mid-size models, as well as M cars. The Australian designer recently spoke to GoAuto and said they had tried to make the elements quieter and clearer.
Heilmer has said that the kidney grille will continue into models, though it will vary in size depending on the model. Like the new iX3, SUVs will come with a vertical interpretation of their past from 1933, the 303 midsize sedan, the brand’s first six-cylinder model. Regular cars like the 3-series coming next year and i3 sedans will have wide kidneys, which have elements of the 507 Roadster.
The brand is still proud of the design elements of the M3 and M4, and Heilmer even said that their customers liked it. He has said that the round headlight, the “Angel Eyes” are unlikely to come back even though their fanbase loves it. Chrome is no longer the style and is going out slowly, replaced by LED daytime running lights; the split headlights are hence going to remain for a while.
Both the upcoming 7 Series and X7 coming in 2027 will retain the main beam with the DRLs separated. BMW have said that they will be launching 40 facelifted and next-gen cars by the end of 2027. Expansion is planned until 2029, with a competition for the G-Class being the next one.
On the inside, too, BMW is different with the infotainment redesigned, coming this time with a 17.9-inch central display. It is the first model to come with a full-width projection system called the Panoramic Vision, with nine tiles at the base of the windshield, in fact. The first three are most likely to replace the instrument cluster, with the remaining three customizable.
Another trend that started with their compact models was the iDrive rotary knob, which is being phased out. The BMWs will rely more on touchscreen and voice command than on buttons. The entire inside looks to be based on the outside. How it pans for BMW is to be seen because many carmakers had to go back to buttons after the customers backlashed. The outside is done well, without question, but the inside might not be the same for them. So BMW’s entire portfolio is set to look completely different. I remain conflicted, but even I'll admit that it looks fresh from the outside and pleasing to the eye.
